Once Upon a Time
by dalekchung
Summary: Some fluff with Alex and other characters from the series. (Written for the Revival fic exchange!)


**A/N:** **Happy holidays, everyone! This is my story for the Revival fic-exchange. It's short and kind of different, soo... Hope you guys like it :)**

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Once Upon a Time

 _Once upon a time, in a kingdom far, far away, there was a young, princely knight named Prince Alexander Rider, but he liked going by the name of Prince Alex. He rode on top of a powerful horse that was two times the size of a regular one. Even just at ten years old, he was the best knight in the kingdom. He slayed dragons every other weekend and spent his weekdays training the knights-in-training. His uncle, King Ian, entrusted this job specifically for his orphaned nephew who—_

"Alex, you're only _eight!"_

Alex crossed his arms, crumpling the sheets of paper under the crook of his elbow. He stuck his chin out defiantly, "I'll be ten really soon."

"Not for another two years."

"J- _a_ - _a_ -ck!" Alex complained, glaring at the redhead. The woman grinned lopsidedly at the younger child, reclining back onto the couch. The blond boy sniffed, taking out his papers again and tilting his head to the side as he began to read once more.

— _had never known his parents. King Ian was an elusive leader. He was always on business trips in a far away land, leaving Prince Alex to deal with the affairs of the kingdom. One day, when King Ian was finally home, he summoned Prince Alex to the throne room. Curious, Prince Alex heeded—_

"Who even uses the word 'heeded' anymore?" Jack interrupted, shaking her head and wrinkling her nose as if the very thought disgusted her. "How do you even know that word, anyway?"

Alex scowled, "Miss Honey taught it to me. Now _shhh_ and listen!" He turned back to the slightly crumpled papers in his hand.

— _his call. "What is it?" Prince Alex asked his uncle after a long trek up the twenty-three flights of steps (three hundred forty-five steps to be exact)._

Jack snorted at the random fact, but didn't say anything. She looked fondly at the young boy, who had his face close to the printed words, a furrow between his eyebrows like reading was the hardest thing he could ever do.

 _King Ian was a quiet king, but he had to use words now. He sat on top of his throne, looking majestic in the dying light that filtered through the glass windows. His throne was lined with a plushy red cushion. Prince Alex only knew that because he got to sit on the throne when his King Ian was gone._

 _"You are old enough—wise enough," King Ian rose solemnly from his seat. "It is time you take on your greatest challenge yet."_

"Hang on," Jack waved a hand. "I thought you said that I was in this story."

Alex waved the papers in front of her, "I'm getting there! Patience, young grasshopper."

"Young grasshopper?" Jack gasped, "That's _my_ line—"

 _"A damsel in distress," King Ian told him, "has been taken by the dark dragon of the west."_

 _Prince Alex had heard of this particular dragon, of course. Situated in a kingdom called 'America', the dragon had earned a name: Shadow Reaper. Prince Alex had been forbidden—up until now—from hunting down Shadow Reaper because of how dangerous he was. The dragon was rumored to be as black as midnight with scales that were nearly impossible to penetrate. Shadow Reaper had no weaknesses._

Jack opened her mouth, but snapped it shut as soon as she saw Alex's glare.

 _"Shadow Reaper took the princess—Princess Jack Starbright of America," King Ian told Prince Alex. "Are you prepared?"_

 _Prince Alex nodded, accepting the mission right away without a second thought._

 _"Good," King Ian said. "Go now. You must rescue the princess as soon as you can."_

 _With that, Prince Alex set out to leave at dawn with his trusty stallion and his sword. It was a few days' travel to America, but his horse was faster and stronger than all the other horses, and they reached the castle that Shadow Reaper lived in within two days._

Alex grinned as if he was particularly pleased with something. He turned the page and cleared his throat.

 _Shadow Reaper was waiting for him, like he knew that Prince Alex was coming. He looked just like all the descriptions Prince Alex had heard. He was larger than the entire palace since he could easily wrap his body around the base of the nearly crumbling building. He had giant, black wings that looked like a bat's, only that it was ripped into shreds. Prince Alex had heard rumors that the last greatest king, King Arthur, was the only one to hurt Shadow Reaper in any way. He took away the beast's wings._

Alex paused, tilting his head as if he were listening for something. A moment later, the duo heard the turning of a lock, and the front door opened with a loud squeak. Alex brightened instantly, evidently recognizing the gait.

"Ian!" he called out, slapping his papers down on the couch and bounding over to greet the dark figured in the hallway. He was covered in white fluff that was already beginning to melt as each second ticked by. Jack shook her head, picking up the loose sheets of paper.

"Alex!" Ian laughed, shaking snowflakes from his hair and leaning down to pick up the little boy. He spun Alex around in a dizzying circle, both of them laughing in pure delight.

"Ian, thank God," Jack hugged the tall man once Alex wriggled out of his grasp. "I thought I was going to have to make cheap spaghetti for our Christmas dinner."

Ian laughed, shaking his head, "No worries." He held up a large bag, and both Alex and Jack leaned forward to get a better look at the contents.

" _McDonald's_?"

"McDonald's?"

Both Alex and Jack said this with varying degrees of excitement. Alex tugged delightedly at the bag, pulling out his Happy Meal, and more importantly the _toy_ that was in it.

"Don't worry," Ian winked at Jack as the boy dashed away, stuffing fries into his mouth and unwrapping his toy. "You can still make that cheap spaghetti."

Jack rolled her eyes and grabbed the chicken tenders that were most definitely for her, "Well, you're just in time. Alex is presenting his gift for us. Isn't that right? _Alex?"_

Alex popped back into the room, chowing down a chicken nugget, "Yeah, Ian. You missed the first part, but I don't mind rereading that part—"

Jack's face morphed into an expression of pure horror. Noticing this, Ian shook his head, a laughing grin playing at his lips, "That's okay, Alex. We can pick up where you left off."

Alex shrugged and disappeared back into the next room, leaving Jack to follow and for Ian to wipe off the melted snowflakes from his coat and hair. He made his way into the next room, unwrapping his burger as he did so.

 _Shadow Reaper was magnificent, but Prince Alex knew that he had to slay the beast in order to rescue Princess Jack and prove himself to be the future king. He took out his sword, holding it high._

 _"Let go of Princess Jack," he yelled to Shadow Reaper, brandishing his sword, "and we'll leave you alone!"_

 _Shadow Reaper growled, smoke pouring from his nostrils. It was a dragon and could not communicate with Prince Alex. He peered at the prince with his big yellow eyes, placing his down by his claws._

 _Prince Alex didn't understand what was happening, so he asked, "What are you doing?"_

 _Shadow Reaper let out another puff of smoke. A gravelly voice rung out in the palace, resonating in Prince Alex's mind. He didn't know it then, but Shadow Reaper was communicating by telepathy, a natural trait that only occurred with a dragon and its rider._

 _"You are worthy," Shadow Reaper said, bowing his head. "Take both the princess and myself, for I am in need for a worthy companion and leader."_

 _Prince Alex nodded, and Shadow Reaper unfurled his claw to reveal Princess Jack. She was scared, but not hurt. After a slow trek back to the Kingdom of England, Prince Alex was reunited with King Ian. Prince Alex went on to win lots and lots of wars with Shadow Reaper, and Princess Jack became Prince Alex's new mum. King Ian kept going on his business trips, but they got shorter and he got to come home every day. And they lived happily ever after._

Alex was barely able to finish his last few words when Jack tackled him into a hug. Cold chicken tenders and fries flew everywhere. Jack was clearly emotional as she slowly suffocated Alex in an embrace.

"That was perfect, Alex," Jack's voice was muffled with emotion. "That was the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me."

Ian pulled them in for a group hug, "I agree. That was amazing, Alex."

Alex turned pink, but he grinned brightly at the two adults as they pulled back. "You really think so? Want to hear another one? It's about Prince Alex rescuing a princess named Sabrina from an evil king…"

Ian sighs at this memory, grabbing his keys from the little bowl on the counter. Alex is fourteen now—still a mere child, but acting more and more like the accomplished young man Ian knows he will be. Today he leaves for his mission. The mission involving Stormbreaker. He doesn't know if he'll see his family again so he treasures the memories he has of them. Alex and Jack are curled up on the couches, exactly like they were on that Christmas night, both exhausted from staying up and drinking hot chocolate and watching cheesy Christmas movies on T.V.

Ian smiles to himself.

He leaves.


End file.
